Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with irregular activation of brain structures involved in fear learning. Exposure therapy, a common PTSD treatment based on fear extinction, can normalize activity in these regions. Previous research has found that viewing emotionally salient images also engages these structures, raising the question whether aversive images in the media act similarly. Recently, mindfulness techniques are increasingly studied as alternative therapies for PTSD and as mechanisms utilized to mitigate reactivity in healthy adults. The current study assessed the impact of media usage on stress and anxiety levels, and whether a brief mindfulness intervention could reduce these levels in a healthy population. Participants were assigned to a mindfulness, journaling, or no action group. Results revealed that higher social media usage related to higher perceived stress, mindfulness practice led to group specific increases in mindfulness, and stress decreased after mindfulness interventions, though this reduction was not group specific.